The Delbarton bowling team advanced to the North II – Group 3 Sectional Finals with a 2-0 sweep over Fort Lee in the State Semifinals. The Green Wave once again proved their ability to execute in high-pressure moments, pulling away late in both games to secure their spot in the championship match. With final scores of 973-871 and 969-890, Delbarton's 1942-1761 pinfall advantage sent a strong message heading into the title match against Nutley.
Game 1: Delbarton 973 - Fort Lee 871
The match began with a tight battle, as Fort Lee came out strong, closing four of five frames in the first and maintaining a slim lead through five frames (411-403). Both teams were struggling to find a rhythm, trading marks while waiting for a big momentum swing.
That shift finally came in the ninth frame when Delbarton bowled a clean frame and David Reale strung together six consecutive strikes to cut Fort Lee's lead to just 10 pins heading into the 10th.
Then, Delbarton slammed the door. Cole Dionyssiou rebounded from a slow start, throwing two strikes in the 10th to finish at 159. Matt Tyrone delivered a perfect 10th frame, finishing with a 191. David Reale finished with nine consecutive strikes, closing his game with a 270 to power the Green Wave into the lead.
With 10 total marks in the final frame, Delbarton flipped a 10-pin deficit into a 102-pin victory, closing out Game 1 in dominant fashion.
Game 2: Delbarton 969 - Fort Lee 890
Delbarton carried its momentum into Game 2, jumping out to an early 49-46 lead by closing four of five frames in the first. But Fort Lee refused to go quietly, using a run of strikes in the third and fourth frames to retake the lead (401-400) after five frames. However, from that point on, Delbarton never trailed again. In the sixth frame, the Green Wave pounced, as Matt Tyrone and Steven Corcoran both doubled up and after five straight corner pin leaves, David Reale buried the pocket for his first strike of the game. Fort Lee left two opens, and Delbarton took the lead for good.
Matt Tyrone strung together five consecutive strikes from the sixth frame onward, finishing with a 248 to help Delbarton take control. Steven Corcoran and David Reale both closed Game 2 with five straight strikes, putting the final nail in Fort Lee's comeback hopes.
Delbarton totaled 11 marks in the 10th, while Fort Lee left one open, sealing the match and securing a trip to the championship match.
Individual Highlights:
• David Reale led all scorers with a 496 series, delivering a dominant 270 in Game 1 and five consecutive strikes to close Game 2.
• Matt Tyrone delivered in key moments, rolling a 439 series, including a 248 in Game 2 that helped Delbarton pull away.
• Steven Corcoran stepped up late, throwing five straight strikes to close Game 2 and slam the door on Fort Lee's season.
Looking Ahead:
With this statement victory, Delbarton moves on to the North II – Group 3 Sectional Championship, where they will face Nutley on Saturday, February 22nd at 9 AM at Bowlero in North Brunswick where the team will look to capture their first ever sectional title.
The Green Wave has been at their best when the lights are brightest, and now one match stands between them and a sectional championship. The pressure keeps getting bigger, but these guys seem to enjoy it.
